Having just read about snow and sleds and trails again, I have to wonder what the hubub is all about. I've never known anyone who does a lot of snowmobiling, er, sledding, so I'm a little ignorant. Seems like driving through the woods in the freezing cold on a noisy machine wouldn't be all that attractive. Then again, I've never been on one before.

What is the attraction here? Why do you sled? How would you convince me to take a ride?

Smitty & Co.

12-30-2005, 10:44 AM

You can go and see places that are inaccessable any other time of year. Its been a few years since I've owned a sled, I sold mine back when our weather patterns started changing and the price of good sleds started climbing. I cross country ski alot now and find it gives me the same adventure as sledding did, however, I would still go if the opportunity presented itself, such as being able to purchase a "good" sled that would get me to where I want to go or going with generous friends. New sleds today can cost up to 10,000 dollars not including all the accessories that you "need," certainly unafforable for alot of Mainers which is why the industry DEPENDS on folks from "away" to come to Maine. Believe me when I say, If you tried it, you'd like it but its just gotten too expensive for me. :eek:

J_Cyr

12-30-2005, 11:03 AM

http://www.pimpmysnowman.com/pimpmysnowman/game/

dí76

12-30-2005, 11:11 AM

You can go and see places that are inaccessable any other time of year. Its been a few years since I've owned a sled, I sold mine back when our weather patterns started changing and the price of good sleds started climbing. I cross country ski alot now and find it gives me the same adventure as sledding did, however, I would still go if the opportunity presented itself, such as being able to purchase a "good" sled that would get me to where I want to go or going with generous friends. New sleds today can cost up to 10,000 dollars not including all the accessories that you "need," certainly unafforable for alot of Mainers which is why the industry DEPENDS on folks from "away" to come to Maine. Believe me when I say, If you tried it, you'd like it but its just gotten too expensive for me. :eek:

I agree, I used to own a sled. It was pretty cool. Unfortunatly it only takes a few to ruin it for every one else much like ATV riding. The sleds today go way to fast for me to be comfortable on the trails. Not me that I am worried about its the crazy bastard that insist on driving way to fast because they can. I suspect after meeting many of the folks from Geocaching that ride I'm sure they make responsible decisions when it comes to safety however I have a camp on a lake and spend much of my time there in the winter and see how fast these guys drive.

Just like anything its great if you have the right equipment and enjoy adventure. When I had a sled I enjoyed Ice fishing in places that would ordinarly be hard to get to otherwise. I also enjoyed trail riding. But now its just to expensive for me to be interested. I have a 2003 Susuki Vincent 500 atv that sits in my garage with 1000 miles on it and not registered because I cant afford to gas it and the truck up to get to the trails to ride.

I think if you tried it you would be hooked. Just what we all need is another hobby.:D

dí76

12-30-2005, 11:15 AM

http://www.pimpmysnowman.com/pimpmysnowman/game/

which one was yours:D

firefighterjake

12-30-2005, 11:46 AM

I've been riding for the past four years or so. The main reason I started riding was the fact that I was spending way too much time inside during the winter complaining about the cold and snow. Snowmobiling for me has been a great way to get me out and about in the winter and to see areas that may or may not be easily accessible on foot or by other vehicles. It has a certain appeal like geo-caching . . . it's not for everyone.

Folks that enjoy snowmobiling often tend to be the type that also enjoy riding ATVs or motorcycles. In fact, snowmobiling is similar to riding a motorcycle on snow . . . not necessarily a good thing since as Dave mentioned a lot of folks go pretty fast. As for me, I tend to be a slower rider than many . . . ATTROLL can attest to this since I went on a ride with him once.

One common belief though is that snowmobiling is cold . . . if a snowmobiler is cold it's only because they've got the wrong gear. I've often gone out and been cold on only a very few occasions -- usually because of a poor choice in clothing. When you bundle up with thermal underwear, polar fleece, outerjacket/pants, helmet, balaclava, good gloves, etc. and turn on the heated hand grips you're often toasty warm.

Snowmobiles can be noisy and smelly . . . particularly the sleds that are using older technology. Newer sleds however are designed to burn cleaner and the four stroke models (most new Yamahas for example) are not all that smelly and are really quiet. However, if you want to get out and about with zero smell and little noise snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing are great outdoor activities as well . . . they also offer the added bonus of giving you a better work-out than riding a sled (which may require some finess, but nothing like snow shoeing and X-country skiing.)

Snowmobiling can be expensive. I originally bought a used sled for $1800 and then bought a new sled for around $6,000 a few years later (not the biggest and best of course.) Getting outfitted in gear can be cheap or expensive -- I probably have around $400 in gear . . . mostly clothing that I use for other activities as well. Some folks go crazy and get the brand name stuff which can add up to a alot. I also bought a trailer for $1,500 which I use to haul both my sled, ATV and "stuff." And then there is the miscellaneous expenses like gas, oil, registration, eating out, etc.

J_Cyr

12-30-2005, 02:39 PM

We all have hobbies.... snowmobiling is one for alot of people where in thier state it snows! Snowmobiling is great and you don't know until you try it.

kayakerinme

12-30-2005, 05:33 PM

I think if you tried it you would be hooked. Just what we all need is another hobby.:D

I'm not looking for another hobby, really. I'm sure if I tried it, I'd like it. I was wondering what about it would make me hooked... why are some folks so passionate about it? Just trying to understand another man's (and woman's) obsession ;)

J_Cyr

12-30-2005, 05:36 PM

What defines snowmobiling?

Speed

Going out to the bars or resturant

Out with friends, away from stress.

No reason people don't like it.

firefighterjake

12-30-2005, 08:31 PM

I'm not looking for another hobby, really. I'm sure if I tried it, I'd like it. I was wondering what about it would make me hooked... why are some folks so passionate about it? Just trying to understand another man's (and woman's) obsession ;)

I can't speak for others, but for me the sledding attraction is going out with some friends, seeing some incredible winter scenery and heading out with a goal in mind (making it from point A to point B . . . with Point B often being a restaurant in my case. :) ) I suppose one of the reason sledders seem nearly obsessive about this activity is that we only get 3 months or so of good sledding in Maine . . . maybe if we had snow for 6-9 months it wouldn't be such a big deal.

attroll

12-31-2005, 04:40 AM

Well Dave I am one of those people you would be bitching at. I ride way to fast. Jake can contest to that. But my New Years resolution it to slow down this year. I really do need to slow down. I want to live a few more years at least. I just don't know what it is that excites me about going fast. But it does. But now I am not as young as I once was so I need to try and stick to my New Years resolution.

dí76

12-31-2005, 08:17 AM

Well Dave I am one of those people you would be bitching at. I ride way to fast. Jake can contest to that. But my New Years resolution it to slow down this year. I really do need to slow down. I want to live a few more years at least. I just don't know what it is that excites me about going fast. But it does. But now I am not as young as I once was so I need to try and stick to my New Years resolution.

I not worried about you killing yourself, I'm worried about you killing some guy with his five year old on the back of his sled riding within the limits

WhereRWe?

12-31-2005, 08:28 AM

I not worried about you killing yourself, I'm worried about you killing some guy with his five year old on the back of his sled riding within the limits

There's a difference between riding fast and riding recklessly. Zipping across a lake at 100 MPH is a lot differennt between swerving along a busy trail at 45. One is stupid, the other os reckless. A snowmobiler can be stupid all he wants - I don't care. But when he starts getting reckless... :mad: :mad:

And I worry about the guy with the 5-year-old on the back of the sled. :confused: :confused:

Pooh and friends

12-31-2005, 01:40 PM

The last time I did any real snowmobiling was on one of these http://www.district1ofsc.ca/photoathensskidoos.htm the middle one, an early sixities 6 hp ski-doo my dad bought new when we lived in Fort Kent. I believe he sold it to a muesum in Bingham or over that way. It has a square patch on the tank\bottom between the skies where I hit a rock. That old sled sure was fun at 15 mph going down the hill!:D

firefighterjake

01-03-2006, 01:59 PM

I'm back . . . 336 miles in 1 1/2 days snowmobiling. Had a great time.

If this works this should provide a link showing my tracked route of travel on Day 2 . . . I left my GPSr behind on the first half day so I don't have that map. The captured image also cut off the most northern point route heading to New Sweden (we turned around before that point) and the southern point route heading to Monticello.

http://www.imagetex.com/displayimage.php?pos=-16788

Here's another copy with a little less detail, but showing a bit more of the trip.

Its great here! The lakes don't freeze and neither does the Temp! Ours is a Honda TurboTrax, but we call it our Florida Snowsled!:D

dí76

01-03-2006, 10:20 PM

Its great here! The lakes don't freeze and neither does the Temp! Ours is a Honda TurboTrax, but we call it our Florida Snowsled!:D

yah but what about the storms and poiseness stuff :) We get a little snow now and then and yes the lakes freeze but thats about it besides being taxed to death and miss led down the governmental path of lying politians this place aint that bad

Yeehawma

01-04-2006, 11:15 PM

Yah but what about those snow and ice storms? and the moose attacks? And the COLD!!!!!!! And a "little" snow? Come on now - I grew up in the county and there is no such thing as a "little" snow.
I live in Florida but my heart is in Maine. If I could handle the winters and afford to live there, I would. Maybe I can be a snowbird when I grow up!